Direction and movement indicator for use on vehicles



N 11, 1930. R. J. PATON 1,781,522

DIRECTION AND MOVEMENT INDICATOR FOR USE ON VEHICLES Filed Feb. 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

R. J. PATO'N Filed Feb. 19, 1930 DIRECTION AND MOVEMENT INDICATOR FOR USE ON VEHICLES Nov. 11, 1930.

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 r FFICE ROBERT JAMES EATON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND" DIRECTION A ND MOVEIVLEN '1 INDICATOR FOR USE ON VEHICLES Application filed February 19, 1930, Serial No. 429,624, and in Great Britain February 27, 1929.

This invention relates to direction and movement indicators of the type employed on vehicles and comprising an indicating arm which is mounted on a base part soas to v swing both about a substantially vertical axis and about a substantially horizontal axis and asingle operatingshaft which may be a flexible shaft and "which is so coupled to the indicating arm that rotational movement of lo the shaft moves the arm about one of said axes and axial movement of the shaft moves a the arm about the other of said axes.

l ith indicators of this type the driver of thevehicle can make any of the recognized lshand signals including the stop signal which is given by moving the indicating arm up and down in a vertical plane and the overtake or turn left signal which is given. by moving the arm to and fro in ahorizontal'direction. It is the object of this invention to provide a simple operating means 7 V of indicators of this kind.

According to the present invention an indicator of the above type comprises a sup- 2 port on which the indicating arm is mounted to swing about one of said axes and which is itself mounted on saidbase part to pivot about the other of said axes, a slider which is mounted on the support so as to be fixed thereto as regards rotationbut to be free to sliderelatively thereto in the direction of the length of the pivotal axis of the support and which is connected to the operating shaft to move bodily therewith and to transmit 3 turning movement therefrom to the support,

and an operative connection between the slid er and the arm such that sliding movement of the former along the length of the axis of the support causes the arm to swing relative- 1y to the support. The slider may be connected to the arm by a link or by a rack and pinion gear or by a pin and slot connection,

Three constructions embodying these and y other features of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which 1 l L i Figure 1 shows the first construction in eleration;

1 Figure 4 is a cross-section showing, in elevation, the operating struction. 1 1

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Figures land 2 the indicator includes a casing indicated in chain lines at lOwhich is adapted to be secured to the off-side of the vehicle so as to be visible to other road-users. It will be understood that the indicator may be arranged for lbtachmentto the near side of the vehicle. The vertical side 11 of the casing is open andthe casing is cut away as shown at 1:2. Atubular base part 13 is secured within the casing and is formed with a cam slot 14. A cylindrical support 15 carriesan indicating arm 16 and is rotatably receivedwithin the base part. The support projects above the basepart and is formed, on its projecting portion, with two lugs 17 on which the arm 16 ispivotally mounted at 18. The support is further formed with a parallel-sided slot 19 inwhich a: slider 20 is received. The slider 20 is, connected to a rearward extension 21 of the arm by a'link 22 which is pivotally connected to the arm and to the slider, and is also secured to one end of a flexible shaft 23 the outer casingQ l of which is secured to the base part 13. It will be seen that if the shaft 23 is moved axially so as to move the sliderupwards from the position shown in Figures 1- and 2, the arm will be turned aboutits pivot 18 owing to the parts of thethird eon link connection"between,the arm and the dle 26. i The handle is formed with a sleeve portion 27 by which it is mounted on the end of the tube and has a finger lever 29 pivotally mounted on it. The tube is formed with a plurality of annular grooves 28 with one of which the end of the lever 9 is engaged by a spring 30, It will be seen that the'shaft can'be twisted by turning the handle and can be moved axially by disen-' gaging the lever 29from the grooves and sliding the handle in orloute A spring 31 surrounds the. shaft 23 between the bottom of the slider-.and the base of the support and'tends to raise the slider so as to return t with a pin 32 'whi'ch co-operates with the, cam slot 14. It

, holder being 'earthed pm 32 engages the arm to its inoperative position within the casing. Asthe arm may not be in alignment with the open side 11 of the, casing when the spring 31 acts to return it to its normal position, the slider is provided will be seen from Figure 1 that, if the arm is turned through 90 about a vertical axis and the handle is released, the spring 81 will raise the slider until its the cam slot '14. Then, as the slider is raised further, it will be turned by the cam slot and will rotate the support and therefore the arm until the latter is in alignment with the open side 11 of'the 1 T iriw 3 HM Ihe arm 16 is hollow to receive an electrio bulb and its sidewalls 33 are of celluloid. Current is supplied to'the bulb'by a single wire circuit, oneterminal. of the bulb and the other connected toa contact 34 mounted on the arm. :This contact co-operates with a spring 'contact 35 which iscarried by one i which engages'a contact 36 fixed to the cas ing 10 above the axis" of the support,

The

contact35 is soshaped as to be disengaged from thefcontact 34; whilethe arm is in the casing 10 andto engage" the contact 3%, as

soon as the arm is raised out of the'c'asing.

The construction shown-in Figure 3 is generally similarrto'i'hat shown in Figures 1 and The arm 'lti'is mounted in a spindle 37 which extends throughla slot 38 in the base part '13 and is mounted-to rotatein the r support :15. A pinion '39i's secured 'to the spindle and meshes-with an internal rack 40 in the slider 2Q whiC i h P Q It controlis shown. v

to'one' end of slider 43, the opposite end will be seen that sli'ding'movement of the slider causes the pinion and therefore the arm to turn while a turning movement of the slider is communicated to thesupport'15.

In FigureB an alternative form of hand? The shaft 28 is secured of which-is slotted at 44:. A hand-lever 4L5 passes through this slot and is connected to .the sliderfby av-pin 47 carried by it'entering. slots '46 forme leverislpivoted v ,ing the slider, and received within a casates to a sleeve 48 surrounddin the slider. Thehand- 'ing 5 0'. The handle projects through'a suit 1-7 of the support ofthe lugs 17 and ing arm,

able opening 51 in the casing 50 When the lever is raised or lowered,the slider and therefore the shaft 23 is moved axially, while when the lever is turned about the aXis of the slider, the latter and the shaft 23 are turned.

In the construction shown in Figure 4, the arm 16 is pivotally mounted at 18 on lugs 90 about either faxisbut it will be under-V stood-"that the arm may be-a'rranged to-move through 180 or any other desired angle,

Further, the pivotal axis of "the support may be horizontally disposed instead of be- 15, the lugs projecting ing vertically disposed, askillustrateds I claim 1-. A' direction and movement indicator of the type specified comprising an indicating arm arranged to swing'bo'th about asub= stantially horizontal axis and about a substantially vertical axis, a support in which the indlcatlng arm ls'mountedat one end to extend transverselyto and to swing about 7 one ofsaid axes, a base part-on which the support is mounted to pivot aboutthe other of said axes, a slider which is mounted on the ice r support sofas to befixedtherein as regards rotation but to beJfree to slide relatively thereto in the direction of thelength' of the pivotal axis of the support, asingle operat ing shaft so connected to theslider as'to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto, and an operative connection between the slider andthe arm such that the sliding movement of the former causes'the latterto swing relativelyto thesupport.

2A direction andmovenient indicator for vehicles comprising a movable indicata support in which the arm is mounted at one end to sw-lngabout asubstantially horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a base part in which the support is mountedto pivot about avertical axis, a slider which is mounted on thesupport so as to'befiXed thereon as regards roso connected to the sliderasfto transmit linear and rotary movementthereto, an operative connection between the slider and the arm such that the sliding movement of the former causes the latterto swing relatively to thesupport, and a spring tending 'tation about said vertical but free to 7 slide relatively thereon in the directionof Y i the vertical 3X18, a single operating shaft.

mar-52a mounted to swing about a substantially horizontal axis, a base part in which the support is mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, a slider which is mounted on the support so as to be fixed thereon as regards rotation about said vertical axis but free to slide relatively thereon in the direction of the vertical axis, a single operating shaft so connected to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto, an operative connection between the slider and the arm such that the sliding movement of the former causes the latter to swing relatively to the support, a spring tending so to move the slider relatively to the support as to cause the arm to assume an inoperative substantially verticalposition, a casing within which the arm is received in its inoperative position and into which it can enter by a movementsubstantially in a predetermined vertical plane, a cam, and a co-operating follower, one of which two parts is carried by the slider and the other by the base part and which scam is so shaped as to cause the sup- 7 port to turn about its pivotal axis and bring the arm into said vertical plane if the arm is not already in said plane and as the slider moves under the action of the spring.

' 4. A direction and movement indicator of the type specified comprising an indicating arm arranged. to swing bothabout a substantially horizontal axis and about a substantially vertical axis, a support in which the indicating arm is mounted at one end to extend transversely and to swing about one of said axes, abase part on which thesupport is mounted to pivot about the other of said axes, a slider which is mounted on the support so as to be fixed therein as regards rotation but to be freeto slide relatively thereto in the direction of the length of the pivotal axis of the support, a single operatlng shaft 7 so connected to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto, and a link operatively connected to the slider and the arm so. that the sliding movement of the former causes the latter to swing relatively to the support.

5. A direction and movement indicator of the type specified comprising an indicating arm arranged to swing both about a substantially horizontal axis and about a substantially vertical axis, a support in which the indicating arm is mounted to swing about one of said axes, a base part on which the support is mounted to pivot about the other of said axes, a slider which is mounted on the support so as to be fixed therein as regards rotation but to be free to slide relativel v;;tl1ereto in th'edirec-tion of the length ofthe pivotal axis of the support', a single operatingshaft sojconnect'ed to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement there to, araok provided on the slider, and acoopera-ting gear member provided on-the arm. 6. Adirectionand movement indicator of the type specified comprising an indicating arm arranged to swingboth about a .substantially horizontalaxis and abouta substantially vertical axis, a support in which the indicating arm is mounted to swing about one of said axes, a base part on which the support is mountedto pivot about the other the support so as to be fixed therein asreof the pivotal axis of the support, a slot extending through the slider, an integral extension of the arm passing through said slot, and a single operating shaft so connected to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto.

7. A the type specified comprising an indicating arm arranged to swing both about a substan tially horizontal axis and about a substantially vertical axis, a support in which the indicating arm is mounted to swing about one of said axes, a base part on which the support is mounted to pivot about the other of said axes, a slider which is mounted on the support so as to be fixed therein as regards rotation but to be free to slide relatively thereto in the direction of the length of the pivotal axis of the support, a single operating shaft so connected to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto, an operative connection between the" gagement with one of said grooves to resist sliding movement of the handle while allowing rotary movement thereof.

8. A direction and movement indicator for vehicles comprising a movable indicating arm, a support on which the arm is mounted to swing about a substantially horizontal axis, a base part on which the support is mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, a slider which is mounted onthe support so as to be fixed thereon as regards rotation about thereon in the direction a single operating shaft so connected to the slider as to transmit linear and rotary movement thereto, an operative connection be direction and movement indicator of said vertical axis but free to slide relatively of the vertical axis,

support onwhich the handleis rotatabl'y and j V slidably mounted, a -plurality of circumfierfinger-lever mounted on the handle and tween the sliderandthe arm such that the sliding movement of the former causes'the v V the, support, a spring tending so to move the'slider 'relak tively to the support as to cause the arm to assume an inoperative substantially vertical latter to swing relatively. to

an operating handle which is seposition,

said operating shaft, a cylindrical cured to ential grooves formed'on the support, and a springpressed' into engagement with one of said grooves-toresist slidingmovementvof the handle while allowing rotary movement- "thereofe. v

aIntestimony whereof I aflix mysignature. I (CAPTAIN) ROBERT JAMES PATON j 

